Is it okay for a Da'ee to appear on television for lectures?

Question:

"Is it okay for a Da'ee to appear on television for lectures?"

Answer:

"That which we know, is that if there is a maslahah (a benefit) in the Da'ee’s participating on a program on the television station i.e. if there is a benefit in it for the Da'wah or for guidance of the people, even though there might be some things which are detrimental as the 'Ulamaa’ mentioned about taking pictures and the images and the like; but there is a large group of the 'Ulamaa’ who also have an opinion that this is totally permissible if there is some benefit in it, as it relates to the Da'wah – to calling to Allaah سبحانه وتعالى and guiding the people to that which is correct. Then there is a group of the 'Ulamaa’ who have what is called an ‘agreement’ amongst themselves, that if in fact there is a maslahah in the Da'ee participating on a television program like this, then this is totally permissible.

Some of our senior scholars here in the Mamlakah (Kingdom) and outside of the Mamlakah have participated on programs on the television. The likes of Shaykh Ibn Baaz رحمه الله تعالى and Shaykh 'Uthaymeen رحمه الله تعالى have participated on numerous programs on the television. That is from looking at the maslahah – the benefit which is found in it. There is also the fact that nowadays the television is one of the biggest tools for spreading Da’wah. So if in fact there is a realm that is open for the Da'ee to spread the correct information about Islaam then he should take advantage of it if there is a maslahah, if there is a benefit in it.

There is also something which I wanted to mention, and that is regarding spreading information on the Internet about the Da’wah and about Islaam. We find that many of those who seek to corrupt the religion of Islaam and to corrupt the Muslims are using this tool to spread false information about Islaam. I wonder why those people who have the haqq (truth), why are they taking so long to stand up with the truth? Why have they delayed spreading and taking advantage of this tool (the internet) to spread the truth about Islaam? In as much as this is one of the tools that is used to spread corrupt information about Islaam and to corrupt the Muslims, then it is not appropriate for those who have the haqq to delay or lag behind in taking advantage of using the internet to spread authentic information about Islaam."